To Find Myself
by Konoha-Crash
Summary: When a whack to the head causes total amnesia for Itachi, and hes taken to Konoha, will he be able to find a new life there? Or will his old memorys be his undoing? Stuck in a childlike state he must prove to the village he isn't the same...
1. Memory Recall

(note: any suggestions for couples, normal/yaoi, feel free 2 suggest...)  
  
He'd been hiding up a tree, spying on sasuke and naruto having what he supposed was a training   
  
session. Although it was turning out to be more of a "throw-snowballs-at-annoying-partner" session.  
  
Naruto had just plopped a little rock inside one of his snowballs, sure it was a little unorthadox,   
  
but it had worked before. But b4 he could throw it, they heard their sensei, kakashi, bellowing for  
  
them in the next clearing. Sighing he threw the snowball up into the sky and raced to where his   
  
sensei was.  
  
But it didnt end there, Itachi had just been turning around to slither back down the tree when,   
  
partway down, the rocky snowball whacked him HARD in the back of the head, knocking him from his careful descent and flinging the semi-dazed ninja onto his back into a snowdrift, with his left leg pinned under him painfully. ow.  
  
-------  
  
Kakashi blinked "sasuke, naruto..?" the two looked at him "did you just hear a noise?" they shook   
  
their heads. Kakashi sighed "go on back to the village, we're done for today!" naruto cheered   
  
"whooo!" then ran off ahead of sasuke who merely sighed, "dobe..." then walked after him.  
  
-------  
  
Itachi woke up only to see the ground was over his head and the sky wasn't in view -nehh....  
  
where am i?- he wondered. The he realised the ground was moving too. It took several seconds for   
  
him to realise he was flung unceremoniously over someones shoulder, and they were carrying him   
  
somewhere. -ugh...feel sick-  
  
He groaned painedly, but then his leg twinged again as whoever it was carried him up some steps,  
  
-where..- then he simply passed out again..  
  
-------  
  
He awoke again a little later, but this time it's late into the afternoon, just near sunset. He sat up, looking round the room. -where am i?- He was lying on a medical table with hsi headband on the stand next to him. He looked up as a ninja strode in, a doctor behind him "you're up, good, can you remember who you are?" the doctor asked. Itachi blinked. Good question. Who was he? "uhh.." he said slowly. The two looked at him "i dunno.." he trailed off blankly, waving one hand dismissively. There was a thump as they both fell over traditional anime style.  
  
"you dont know?!" the doctor frowned. Itachi shook his head "Nu-uh..." he sounded like a little child whos lost somewhere. The doctor asked several more qurestions. How old was he? Blood type? Did he know where he was? To all of these they just got a blank stare and a "nope.."  
  
"hmm.." the doctor stood outside the room itachi was in and looked at the ninja with him   
  
"Total Amnesia, he doesnt even know who he is.."  
  
-------   
  
Itachi smiled as he saw the docotr leave. Nice person. He unfolded his legs from under the cover, tried to get down from the table, only to let out a sharp cry of pain as his left leg buckled, and his right foot got tangled on the table cover. He landed on the floor in an unceremonius heap, his pattened robes flipped half over his head. He snickered abrputly, this was funny.  
  
Upon finally figuring out how to stand upright, he spied the hitai-ate headband on the stand next to the table. He picked it up "eh...shiny.." he twisted it in the light, not recognising the konoha leaf symbol on it. "is this mine?"  
  
-------  
  
Thru the doors window, the doctor watched the bizzare behaivor of the young man. -hes one of this   
  
villages most feared shinobi...(-Itachi was now waving the leaf band over his head, tryign to figure out what it was exactly-..)yet he doesnt even know his own name now..i get a bad feeling some people may not like him here even now he's not likely to attack..-  
  
Pushing open the door he sighed -i have 2 see if i can at least get him to remember his name before the ninja arrives to take him to the hokage..-  
  
--------  
  
"Im telling you..i dont know!" Itachi said, looking a mixture or baffled and worried. The doctor sighed "Its Itachi, 'It..Ach..I'.." he repeated this name to the young man, who merely nodded a little worriedly and repeated the name "Itachi...ok..!" The doctor sighed again "Last name...Uchiha..." Itachi blinked, now that struck a cord, faintly. "oh...!" but it wasnt clear, the memory faded and his shoulders slumped in a sigh.  
  
The doctor sttod up, still baffled as to how a single whump on the head could cause this kind of memory loss. "a ninja will be here shortly to bring you to the hokage. Dont Move" Itachi nodded.  
  
--------  
  
The ninja appeared a few moments later, the doctor warned him to walk slowly, his left leg, the sore one, had suffered a slight brakeage, and he had 2 be careful. Itachi just nodded, following the   
  
shinobi silently, holding the leaf headband loosely in his hand, still usnure as to what it was -they   
  
all wear them..- So busy was he staring at the grund and trying to limp slightly so the leg would stop hurting, he didnt see all the stares directed in his wake "is that really him?" "yeah no joke..but why is he here?" "bastard" "hey i heard he's forgotten who he is..." 


	2. Sadness and Shadowy Time

chpt 2  
  
Itachi walked along, wondering where they were heading, the pain had all blended together in a pounding dull ache, which he struggled to ignore. Just when he began to ask where they were, the ninja came to a halt "here we are..." He opened the door, and gave Itachi a nudge in the back with his hand to get him to move.  
  
He took a look at the people regarding him, and felt sick.  
  
--------  
  
The Hokage looked up, two other ninja beside him. One was Kakashi, who had found the dangerous ninja, and the other was a medical nin-worker, trained in combat and medicne. He frowned as he felt kakashi twitching beside him, it was obvious none of them trusted him, even the medic nin was giving off an angry presence.   
  
But Itachi seemed unable to even speak, as the ninja sheparded him in he just stood there with hands behind his back, staring at the floor. He was limping the Hoakge noticed, and seemed very silent. The ninja folded his arms and stood behind the man. "Hoi....you" Kakashi siad, getting his attention. He at last looked up, his red eyes, colour of the sharingan, seeming a little off focus "uh..."   
  
The Hokage regarded him "You were out in those woods, correct?" Itachi nodded, but all his attention was focused on the two behind the hokage. He could feel his heart pounding eerily in his head, his words seemed to stick in his throat, so in the end he only nodded. "Hmn....you dont remember anything of how you got there..who you are..?" Again just a shake of the head, he was staring at the floor now, his face was a little red, althought it was hard to tell behind the high collar of his robes.   
  
The Hokage sighed again, this was proving hard, getting a single answer from him. Kakashi folded his arms, glaring full force at Itachi. "Nothing of your past? Relations..." The Hokage questioned again, again he shook his head, his head was spinning now. "Itachi? Itachi?!" a voice said, somewhere in the distance it seemed, he raised a hand to his chest, unable to breath, panic spreading like wildfire throughout his body.   
  
He gave a strangled little cry and his eyes clsoed, legs buckled, dark hair fanning around his face as he collapsed. The Hokage Lept up from his chair, the two behind him starting slightly also. The ninja who'd brought him there stepped forward and deftly caught itachi in one arm, lowering the shaken ninja to the floor. "What happened?" the Hokage asked, hurrying over, followed by the medic nin.   
  
The medic knelt by Itachi, giving him a brief check over "appears to be a panic attack sir, he wasnt able to breath and collapsed.." Kakashi uttered a "hmph!" and vanished in a puff of smoke and the Hokage sighed. "Return him to the hospital..." As the medic nin vanished, carrying Itachi over his shoulder, the Hokage sighed and shook his head "hes still very weak from whatevers happened, no doubt its shock too...being faced with a past he doesnt know...but the entire village does..." the other ninja nodded, what was going to happen to Itachi here?   
  
------  
  
He awoke back in the hospital, this time in a soft bed, with a quilt dragged up around his shoulders. He coughed weakly and sat up, trying to remember what had happened. All he could recall was the hokage asking him questions, seeing the glare of utter hatred from the maksed man behind the Hoakge, then there'd been a sharp pain in his chest, and it had all gone black.  
  
He hugged his knees to his chets, shivering for some reason. -who am i? I must have done something...something bad....all i could see was hatred...who am i?- he rested his head on his knees, uttering a small cry, feeling tears soaking his colalr -why am i? crying? i dont know what i am..what ive done?-   
  
The shock had begun to set in, he felt sick again, and shivering a little more, -what am ?- he began to wonder...It was then he felt a tug on his sleve, followed by "hey, mister!"   
  
------  
  
Konohamaru was bored, he'd snuck into the hospital for a dare, getting past all the nurses and doctors. But now he was lost, and hungry. He was just about to attempt to climb down a tree outside a window when he saw someone he thought he recognised. From outside the door, it looked like naruto's teammate sasuke, but upon further staring this person looked older, and wore bizzare high collared robes.   
  
He sat hunched on the bed, body tucked up, arms wrapped around his knees, as he approached, konohamaru heard a muffled cry from behind the hair. -why is he sad?- he wondered, tugging on one of the billowy sleaves "hey!"  
  
------  
  
Itachi jerked his head up from where it'd been resting on his knees, strands of dark hair clung to his damp face, as he looked down at a small child with goggles on his forehead. "hey mister.." he repeated "you look familiar...." he blinked "uhm.." he felt the familiar tightening in his chest. "Whats your name?" the amaiable kid plopped up onto the bed beside him, he buried his face in the collar "Itachi.." he managed at last.  
  
Konohamru nodded, having established the mans name "im Konohamaru!" he chirps, leaning forward and lifting a few bits of hair away to see the piercing gaze "ooh...your eyes are strange.." itachi blinked "y-yeah...i cant rememebr why.." Konohamru blinekd "you forgot something?"  
  
Itachi nodded "I just woke up in this place..i dont know who i am, what ive done..." he shivers "but i think its bad...people hate me.." Konohamru tugged the sleave again "its prolly nto so bad, didja bump ya head?" he nodded "thats what the dctor said.." konohamaru smiled "then u just gotta wander around and try see things in case they help you un-forget!" Itachi blinked "you mean? go out there?" Konohamaru nodded "yeah, come wiv me mister, ill show ya around!"  
  
Itachi reluctantly allowed himself to be pulled along the street by konohamaru, he was still in a bit of a daze and didn't hear the other kids running up to them as they approached an old warehouse which kono had said was his gangs hideout.  
  
"HEY! KONOHAMARU!" they all skidded up, taking in the silent stranger whose sleave kono was clutching, "whoosis?" Itachi blinked from behidn his hair as he heard kono speak "this is Itachi, hes kinda lost his memories so im gonna show him konoha see if he can rememebr 'em!"  
  
The others blinked and all offered to tag along too. So it was This odd Bunch, Itachi with seveal little kids walking down the street, konohamru stopping every few metres to point something out or wave to a person, that met the hoakges gaze as he walked down the street. -ah it seems the little leaves have caught this one up..maybe they'll help him..- he sighed, walking back towards his office -i have to inform sasuke about this....when he gets back..-   
  
For he himself had sent sasuke off with a bunch of jounins for extra training, a feeling of foreboding had been building up, and now he saw it was Itachi's arrival that had been the cause of it.  
  
-----  
  
AN: I Listened to -The Rasmus - In the Shadows- a lot while i wrote this, good song! 


	3. Blundered Battle

Chpt - 3  
  
Kono smiled at his new friend happily, still confused, Itachi managed a small nod to show he was OK. But despite konons kindness he still felt all wrong. It was a few streets later that he found out something about himself. Two leaf shinobi leapt down from the rooftops, Itachi thought they were goign for kono and co, and in a burst of rememebrence, his hands automaticlly swept into a seal, "kage bunshin no jutsu!" a whole load of clones appeared, the sharigan fixed upon their opponents.   
  
They looked at them unsure "hey he prolly can't remember how to fight!! this'll be easy!!" but as they sprang forward, itachi simply acted upon impulse, the clones and whipped out kunai and faced the attacks head on. Kono and friends gaped as all the clones appeared "h-how?!" "KONOHAMARU!!" itachi yelled "GET AWAY NOW!!" he nodded and grabbing his friends hands, they all took off.   
  
Itachi meanwhile turned back to the now battered ninja "huh..." he wheezed, feeling something returning, his eyes fixed upon their moves, he could feel his mind taking it in. -Is this me? my eyes.-and in a flash the street was empty again, the two were hightailing it away from him "holy sht dude! That weren't menna happen, i thought you said he was blank?"   
  
"i guess jutsu aint that easy to forget!" as they ran around the corner, Itachi's legs gave way and he simply plopped down in the middle of the street, staring dumbstruck at the ground -i..i know how to fight..this must be the thing i did wrong....perhaps i hurt people..- he was still mulling this over thru shock when kono and co came racing out of hiding, running up to him.   
  
Kono hugged him gleefully "that was SO cool! you kicked royal butt!" Itachi blinked "uh...y-yeah..." he felt kinda sad when kono hugged him, like he'd never felt that before. -He doesnt hate me....- He staggers to his feet, almost falling to the floor again as someone clapped a hand onto his shoulder. He whipped round, looking at a brown haired chuunin.   
  
Iruka frowned at him, he'd heard from kakashi about this, but it was still a shock to see him standing there so plainly. "What were you doing?" he demnaded sharply. But Kono ran up to him "Sensei! Two Ninja were gonna attack us..but he kicked their butts! He saved us, it was total cool!" Itachi took a shaky step back, lwoering his head so his face was hidden again by his hair and collar.   
  
Iruka frowned, both at this news and the way the other man was steppign away "well, if thats the case, thank you" he said shortly. The uchiha memebr nodded, feeling the familiar panic ease at the words. -Does he know me?- eh thinks....  
  
------  
  
kono waved at Itachi as they ran back to the academy with their teacher, itachi raised a hand in a silent wave. The it fell back down to his side, and he wodnered what to do now. He sensed somethign behidn him and he whipped round, seeing a silver haired man walk around the corner with two students in tow. He swiftly jumped up onto a roof, running the hell away, feeling the same panic.  
  
Kakashi sighed as he saw Itachi pegging it away over the roof -stupid baka.- he thought furiously, turning back to his students.  
  
------  
  
He ran back to the hospital, shutting his door behind him he staggered over to the bed..Collapsing on top of it he buried his head on his arms, an overwhelming misery swept over, and he slowly fell asleep.  
  
The Doctor was surprised when he received a visit from the Hokage later that day. "How is he?" "uh..n-not good Hokage sir, hes not eaten nor drank a thing, he keeps going on about 'finding the bad thing'.." The hokage nodded "he must be searching for his past..." the doctor looked in the doors window at his patient.   
  
Itachi was curled up with his body tucked close like he was afraid of something, the blankets tossed up, entwined partially. "Im not sure if its shock or depression he's in, he refsues to eat or drink, and wont talk to anybody, save a young kid who was in here earlier..your grandson i beleive.." The Hoakge sighed "I know..i saw konohamaru and his friends showing him around.." he shook his head concernedly "Im hoping that kono will be able to assist him in getting to a more normal state..."   
  
The doctor sighed "please Hokage sir...if he doesnt at least drink something soon, he'll get sick.." The Third sighed "I'll talk to him.." Itachi had just slipped into a semi daze when eh heard the door click open. With a small cry he grabbed blindly for a kunai by his bedside, and raised it. But his ahnd was caught in an expert grip, and forced back down "calm down" the voice said.   
  
His vision cleared, and saw the same man as in that office, the Lord Hokage. "....!!" all he coudl do was stare as this person stood in frotn of him. "I see Konohamaru has become quite fond of you already.." Itachi blinked "uhm...yes" he shook his head "no, well...all i..." the hokage nodded to persuade him to speak "he was tryign to assist me.." he nodded "kono seems full of praise about you.." he smiled..then he looked serious.  
  
"The doctors tell me youve not drank or eaten, your already in shock, you'll end up getting worse if you dont..." Itachi curled himself back up on the bed, drawing the blankets up around him. -Hes like a child...this shock has forced his memeorys to shut down, leaving him in a confused state..- He sighed, actually reaching out and lifting Itachis hair away from his face "there are good people here trying to help you, you have 2 listen to them...." the crimson sharingan gaze looked at him form behind the collar, then nodded.   
  
Outside the room the doctor sighed as Itachi slowly managed to drink a small amount of water before slipping into anther dreamless sleep. The Hokage pulled the cover up over him and stepped back outside with a sigh "arigatou sir..." The Hokage nodded "his behavior is like a frightened childs, he seems to be retreating into such a state to hide his memories, we have 2 see what we can do to sort this mess out...before its too late..." The doctor nodded "but what can we do?". 


	4. Blood and Tears

(note: very slight shonen-ai in this..only very brief tho)  
  
Itachi stayed in this sleeping state until most of the next day, waking up at around noon. But when he woke, he found a folded piece of paper by his bedside. Picking it up he read the message [Hello! We are all gonnna come see you when gramps says your OK! - Konohamaru & the guys] he looked at it, wonderign why the child seems so taken with him, but he smiled faintly at last, feelinh a slight stir of hope...  
  
-------  
  
Sure enough, the promsied visit occured, with the Hokage bringing up Kono and his friends to visit the sill worn out Itachi. He smiled, and although he didn't say much, he seemed a little more relaxed. Konohamaru was showing him some of the cool stuff he and his friends had found. Itachi smiled, feeling an odd sense of comfort with these kids, who didn't seem 2 harbour anything against him.   
  
The Third slipped away with a smile during the chaos, coming face to face with Iruka as he stepped outside the hospital "oh...good morning Iruka, everything ok?" the chuunin nodded "Are kono and the kids-?" "they're fine, theyve gone to visit Itachi again, they seem pretty taken by him.." the chuunin looked unsure, but then nodded "sorry sir, its hard 2 imagine him as anything other than a killer.."   
  
The third sighed "i understand...but..." he looked up "hes not having an easy time of this, and hes not attacking anything, his behavior is like that of a childs, its going to be hard for the village to adjust to him beign so different." he sighed again "Im glad kono and co have decided to befriend him, perhaps this will help in some way..." Iruka nodded, sighing inwardly.  
  
-------  
  
But they werent alone, the same two ninjas ran back to another one a few blocks away with this news "sir, hes acting like a child they said.." The other figure smirked "good..he wont be hard to dispose of then..we cannot have him running amok in the village, should ever his memories return..."  
  
The figure nods again "its going against the hokage's ideals...but we just can't have him living here..and i emphasize living.." he drummed his fingers along a sheathed katana blade "heheh...."  
  
"I have the perfect plan...." The other two looked at him "sir?" but he just smirked "go on with part 2 now.." the two nodded, springing away from the rooftops.  
  
-------  
  
Later on in the afternoon, Itachi curled up sleepily under the covers, he was feeling a little better, what with kono and crew trying to get him to smile. He sighed softly, but then his eyes opened as a note fluttered in through the window landing on his face "...?" he sat up, reading it -kono?- he wodnered.  
  
But thsi handwriting wasnt the same, it read: [Ive been watching you here for a while, come down to the cherry blossoms trees in town...ill see you there..I have some clues to your past..]  
  
He didn't need telling twice, he scrambled otuside using the window, and, dropping to the ground, began taking a back route to where the message had said.  
  
He didnt realsie just how much danger he was in.  
  
---  
  
Sure enough a ninja was standing by the trees as he staggered into view, limping still. The person looked up -perfect, that dobe fell for it....illl get rid of him for good..- he took a step toward him, noting his tired state -heh..perfect..-  
  
------  
  
The docotr walked with teh third up to Itahis room, but they got a shock when the disvcoevered it empty. "hwres he gone?" the hokage picked up the note from the floor "oh no.." they both glanced at it "its a trap..someone intends to do something to him!" together the two ran out from the hospital, heading towards the trees.  
  
------  
  
Itachi blinked as the man stepped up close to him. Very close. A hand lightly brushed his cheek, lifting the stunned and lost ninjas hair aside "your after what you are..arent you...?" Itachi looked at him "h-how....do you know?" the man smiled, one hand lightly caressing itachi's cheek "i know all about you..." Itachi blinekd and squriemd a little, not happy with the situtation...  
  
But he was shocked into a silence when the figures grip under his chin tighened, lifting his face, then abruptly kissed him. "ill tell you what you are.." the vocie said whe it let him go.., a katana slid smoothly from a sheath conceaed in the persons back "a goddam murderer and a nuisence!" and with these last words, before the stunned Itachi could react, the blade was plunged upwards into his body  
  
"achk!" his eyes went wide, mocking laugher ringing in his ears as the blade was ripped free, and he slumped to his knees, blood soaking the ground -n-no..- the whole world began to go black and he heard a faint yell.  
  
"STOP!!"  
  
-------  
  
The third and the doctor ran as fast as they could to get to itachi, but it was too late, as they landed down from the roof, they saw a stranger plunge a kaatna blade upwards into his body. Itachi slumped to the ground as the figure took off "after him!!!" the third yelled. Three silent shinobi hunters peeled away from the shadows in the walls and tore after the attacker.  
  
They ran to the heavily bleeding Itachi. The doctor swore under his breath as he tried to slow the blood flow from the wound. Intchi hiccuped, a few drops of blood dripping to the ground. -i knew....im not mean't...to be here...-  
  
------  
  
"Assasination?" the third said. The ninjas nodded "judging from the way it was staged, they took advantage of the fact hes got a severe mental block, and tried to get rid of him..." The third sighed "i should've known.." he sighed -hes like an innocent child, these people cruelly tried to use that against him..-  
  
------  
  
Itachi lay in a hospital bed again, but this time he felt nothing. Nothing but pain. Without realising, tears were soaking the pillow and he buried his face in it, his robes had been thrown lightly over a chair, he was wearing normal underclothes with thick wads of banadges around his waist. It was 2 days after the stranger had kissed then attemtped to kill. The hokage often seemed to be nearby, kono and friends werent allowed to see him, his state was that precarious.  
  
He clutched at the blankets, uttering a muffled sob. He felt someone brush the hair out his face and he looked at the third "s-ir.." he stammered, coughing "lie still, we've found the attackers, they're gone for good..." He then told Itachi of how a fair few ppl in the villlage had expressed an outrage at the attack, pointing to the side table Itachi saw that there were messages expressing a hope he was OK, alot of them from the kids at the academy he'd protected, and even from iruka.  
  
"they....dont...want me gone?" he whispered, hope glimmering in his eyes. The third shook his head "No....whats happened is not your fault, and we strive not to be a village of hatred..its ok now, were going to look after you.." the hair fell back down over itachi's face..he closed his eyes, snifflign slightly, cheeks slightly damp from crying. The hokage sat beside the bed, talking to him until he eventually dozed off. -so like a child..he needs the village to take care of him now..a new life..-  
  
-----------  
  
AN: god..how much do i type?!?! o.O 


	5. Through The Rain

chpt 5  
  
It took a further 3 days of inetensive care before he was able to even get up. He wanted to go find kono and his friends, but the doctors didn't advise it in his current state. It wasnt unless he went with a guard, the Hokage's wish that he should, that he was finally allowed to go out.  
  
It seemed to take forever to walk there, and he looked down at the ground as he walked, not wanting to look up, he didnt need to in order to hear the whispers, and know the looks on the peoples faces as he walked by. Although many people had been outraged at the attack, a great many still disliked his presence there.   
  
The guard stayed behind him all the time as he made his way to the academy, but once isnide, Itachi paused with a sigh. Before he could turn away he heard a voice behind him "ah, your well now?" he turned dizzily to face the voice, wobbling slightly. The guard grabbed his elbow to stop him from falling over.  
  
Iruka blinked "kono's been worried sick about you, as have his friends, i caught them attempting 2 sneak outta class 2 find u more than once...." Itachi maanged a small nod and a faint smile, dressed in his ususal high collared robes, which thnakfully hid his face. "are they..?" he said in a very quiet voice. Iruka blinked "theyre off at lunch, but they'll be back soon, you can wait in the class room if you want, you look a bit pale..."  
  
This Itachi graetfully did, his body still ached from the assault, which, according to the hokage, had been an asssasintation because that attacker had been afraid of him. He stared at the floor, seeming more sad than ever -why am i still livivng? why didnt they just let me die that day? None of the the villagers wish i was better now...- his hands clenched in his lap.  
  
The guard looked at his charge. The silent Uchiha, who hadnt spoken a word, well, not very many, since hed arrived there. He sat with his hair hididng his face, sheltering behind those high collared robes again. He had been asked by the thrid to keep an eye on the guy, and to report how he was coping. Right now, it seemed pretty dismal...  
  
----------  
  
Konohamaru was feeling a bit sad as he and his friends trooped back to the academy after lunch. They'd been upset and angry when they'd heard Itachi had been hospitalised again, by a mysterious attacker who'd left him in a critical state. He sighed as he pushed open the door, but looked up sharpish when a soft vocie said "ah...kono, your back..." he and his friends looked up, hardly able to beleive the sight before them.   
  
Iruka was sitting at his desk, rifling thru a drawer, but the real shock, and the voices owner, was sitting perched on a chair by the desk. It was Itachi. He smiled at the stunned group "hey.." Konos face split into a smile, as he took off towards his friend "ITA!" he yelled, hugging him gleefully as all the others gathered round too. Itachi smiled, soem of the pain lifting from his face. Iruka watched this with a smile, seeing how Itachi's return had cheered up the moping members of his class.  
  
Kono was boucning aroung his older friend, asking half a dozen questions at once. Itachi laughed and tried to calm him down. They were still yabbering happiyl awya to him when he rest of the class came back, they all looked at kono and his friend, havign never seen him before, but heard more than enough about him from the kono crew.  
  
So itachi ended up stayign for most fo they day, the class were fascinate dby him, and whne he did the clone skill to sow them what konon had been on about in the fight, they all were utterly amazed. Iruka raised one eyebrow -he's good with them, he should try to be a teacher..- he smiled faintly as the kids applauded the display.  
  
---------  
  
He felt a lot better as he walked back from the academy that afternoon, he was at last smiling. The kids had loved him, theyd croweded round, asking all manner of funny questions, and iruka had sat back and smile,d letting him take the class so to speak.  
  
---------  
  
He saw a whole laod of ninjas up ahead with the third, he was about to go talk to him, but then he saw one of the nins with him, the silver haired masked one, kaakshi. He paled, made a frightened sound and took a step back, semi loosing his balance. Thankfuly the guard quickly hooked his arms under Itachi's, holding him upright "sir? you alright?".   
  
Itachi nodded, swiftly getting back up and looking back over, the guy was glaring at him now over the hoakges shoulder, it was a look of pure hatred. Panicing again he broke free from the guard and the crowds, trying to run as fast as he could away from them, his mind pinpointed on one thought -i have 2 get away, that man, he must know about me..- He heard someone yell his name after him, but he pegged it even faster, thinking it must be the slver haired shinobi, wheezing at the pain in his body.   
  
The third sighed and the guard tried to chase after his charge, but in a rare moment of recovery, Itachi had clean gotten away. The Hokage sighed again, looking sideways at one of the ninjas beside him "you know, Kakashi," the masked ninja just sighed "you dont have to keep glowering at him like that, hes not gotten a single memory back, he doesnt know his own history, so he doesn't understand what youre thinking."  
  
"Sorry sir, i just dont trust him, memory loss or not." the third sighed. "I know, and its not only you, weve already had an attempt to assasinate him..." Kakashi frowned, this was new, "assasins?" the third nodded "they took advantage of his confused state to try and kill him, he barely survived, and hasnt spoken all that much since the incident..."  
  
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But as the day wore on into evenign at Itachi still remained missing, even kaakshi began to wonder. The third was worried, he sent a team of ninjas out to find the missing nin.  
  
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Itachi sat by the lake, staring blankly out into its depths, felign the bandages at his wiast shift and he bit his lip in pain, tucking himselfg up shiverign in the cold. He couldnt go back, the look on that ninjas face, such a look of pure hatred, ahd scared him. He shiveerd again as the wind ruffled his soaked robes. Thunder lashed the skies, the weather was changign dramaticlly. Tears mingled with rain on his face as he huddled up even closer -cant go back...cant go..-  
  
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The Hokage really began to panic when Itachi didnt turn up despite the search, the weather continued to get worse.  
  
He stepped otuside, peering thru the rain, but not spying two shadowy figures spying on him. "go" oen whispered, and they lept towards the hokage.  
  
---  
  
He whipped round as the figures flew towards him, he raised his hand sup, ready to perform some kind of justu, but he neednt have bothered. For out of the torrential rain someone appeared in the attackers way, diving up and knocking one aside, whilest a kunai on a length of string was used to trip up the other, slamming them both to the ground ebfore the hokage could even blink. "w-who?"  
  
The streetlamps flickered on, catsing light on the figure who now stood above the unconious atatckers. "ITACHI!!" the Hokage's yell drew the attention on a few ninjas, kaakshi included from the next buidling, they ran aroudn the corner, lookign at the scene spread otu ebfore them. The hokage standing outside the building, with two unconious assasins in front of him, and standing above the attackers was a semi frozen Itachi, still holding a kunai loosely in one hand, as if the bodys should move again and rise to attack.  
  
The scene unfroze as Itachi's body gave out, and he slumepd to the rain-soaked streets, dark hair plastered to his face and neck, hands covered in blood from the attackers. One of the ninjas ran forward to check the hurt Itachi, and Kakashi ran to the third "sir what happened?" he looked at Itachi, assuming the worst..  
  
"No" the third said, as if reading his mind "those two would have most likely succeeded in doing some serious harm had he not..appeared of nowhere and ground them to a halt.." he looked up at kakashi "despite your doubts, he actually saved my life, not trying to destroy it.." Kakashi fodled his arms and gave an annoyed sigh, but he thinking about the hokages words.  
  
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AN: wauugh!! ;; my hands are sore, and i need ta think up the next chapter..ty to Lady Light 4 her reviews - they help soo much! 


	6. Interrogation

chpt 6  
  
One of the nins carried the unconscious Itachi into the thirds office and laid him down on a couch there. The rest of the nins, kakashi included, all crowded in, worriedly discussion the two assassins. "Perhaps, they're to do with the one that attacked 'im?" kakashi said, looking over at itachi.The third sighed "it is possible, the attempts were very close together.." The voices rose and fell as they debated the possible causes and people. Unnoticed, itachi stirred, then sat up, rubbing his forehead tiredly, then sneezing. He heard one of the nins saying "..will be severely punished for this.."  
  
His eyes went wide, "eep!", as he misunderstood what the guy meant, he thought he was on about -him-. He attempted, with emphasis on "attempted", to get up off the couch, but that resulted in him sliding into a bedraggled heap on the floor. He heard a voice above him "watch it Itachi, that wound isn't fully healed yet..." "urhf.." he managed, untangling himself and managing to get, rather shakily to his feet.  
  
The guy looked at him "oh, i didn't mean -you-.." kakashi just looked at him, sighed, remembering he HAD helped the hokage, and simply didn't give him the hostile look. "Sir!" a voice said "those two are awake, do you want us to question them." Itachi looked blank as the hokage said "yes, wait there a moment, and we'll be along shortly.." He turned to kakashi and the others "Kakashi, ill need you and Itachi along with me to go question them, you may all leave now" "yes sir!" all the nins vanished and Itachi looked pale "Q-question..." The third sighed "you have to face these people, i know its not easy, but they could be in league with your attacker.."  
  
Itachi nodded nervously, following the third out, kakashi stared at itachi as the made their way over -hmph, much as i hate to admit it, the git seems to be protecting us rather trying to murder us all...hm..- Itachi hid his face under his robe collar, the nerves rising. "Sirs, through here" he just blankly followed the hokage, feeling his head pounding painfully. The two nins being guarded in the room were startled by the man who appeared alongside the third and a jounin.   
  
It was the same brat their leader had been trying to kill. Itachi couldn't look up as the third questioned them both, and Kakashi occasionally interjecting with a question. It seemed they weren't going to get anything from them, until Itachi saw one of them holding a similarly designed sword "ah, hey!" he said. Kakashi looked at him "what?" Itachi took a small step forward, looking at the katana "t-that weapon..its the same...t-the same as..." his throat locked up, he couldn't talk. But Kakashi nodded "its the same as the one that was used, on you..was it?" Itachi nodded, his hands were clenched nervously and his face was red.   
  
The third turned to the 2 attackers, "With this evidence it appears you're stuck..." Realising they were trapped, they had little choice other than to furiously admit their part in the current attack, and the one upon itachi. During this, Kakashi shot a look at itachi, he hadn't spoken since his quiet outburst. Looking at him now the guy seemed worryingly pale behind his dark hair, and he was coughing a little. One hand was pressed to where he supposed the sword wound must've been. The third, alerted by a nudge from kakashi, shot a glance over at the silent uchiha "Itachi.." the guy looked up "I think its best you return to the hospital, you've been through a lot this last week.."   
  
Itachi nodded, managing to do the teleportation seal and vanish in a poof of smoke. Kakashi blinked "hm, seems he's remembering a few of his advanced jutsus sir.." the third nodded "yes, but nothing about his life so far, his condition isn't improving, he seems terrified, if anything, of other people, especially ninjas.." Kakashi sighed "Hm...He hasn't been out?" The third shook his head "no, Konohamaru and his friends have been trying to cheer him up, but I fear he's only getting worse...that attack didn't help matters either.." Kakashi nodded, but he was thinking of something that may help...   
  
As they walked outside, kakashi bid a goodnight to the hokage and shot across the rooftops, needing to talk to a particular chuunin...  
  
Itachi was surprised, the next morning, to receive a notice saying Iruka wouldn't be able to take his class, and could he come along? Stunned, he made his way to the academy just before the classes were due to start. He saw Kakashi standing, with his usual perverted book, by the window. As he entered the Jounin looked up "ah, Iruka needs you to take the class", he said as he made his way out. Itachi looked at him "M-me? Take it, h-how come?" Kakashi stopped, mid-way to doing the teleport jutsu, "Oh, he said you were good with them the last time you were here, so he asked me to get you in" he vanished then, leaving a baffled but somewhat happy, itachi.  
  
Konohamaru and co were stunned to high heaven when they came into class and found out who their supply teacher was. "Ita!" he yelled, Itachi smiled, he'd gotten changed into the standard nin uniform for Konoha, and he now wore a leaf band over his forehead as they all did. He smiled "Ok, take your seats.." he picked up some papers from the desk"  
  
Outside the window, kakashi was sitting atop the roof of the academy, munching his way through some ramen. "mpf.." his companion, Iruka, looked at him "mpfpffmpf...I think he'll mamaigh that logt.." "Hasn't anybody ever told you to try finish your food before you talk?" Iruka laughed. Kakashi finished, then gave Iruka a sarcastic look, which set the chuunin off laughing. "Hehe.." Kakashi smiled.  
  
The third watched them from a few roofs away, -it was strange, hearing the idea coming from kakashi, but if Itachi can get a job teaching at the academy, maybe that'll help him..- he sweatdropped as Iruka and kakashi preceded to start trying to whack each other upside the head "but they're gonna give Iruka's "poorly" act away if they keep goofing off like that..- but he couldn't help laughing... 


End file.
